Concerto-Aria Competition Winners for 2025-2026

Abilene native percussionist Aaron Brokovich is a junior at McMurry University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Aaron attended high school at ATEMS and was a member of the Cooper High School band, receiving superior ratings at UIL Solo & Ensemble contest along with the Outstanding performer award, was a member of the TMEA All-State 5A Band, and a 1st place winner in the Nelda Hodges Young Artist Competition sponsored by the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra.

Aaron is very active in all of McMurry's instrumental ensembles, including the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble, which recently competed at the 2025 Percussive Arts Society International Convention, and is also a member of the McMurry Chanters. In the summer of 2025, they were selected to work and perform with the GRAMMY®-nominated Sandbox Percussion.

Aaron is an active performer and percussion teacher in and around the Abilene music community, and a member of the choir at First Central Presbyterian Church. Former music teachers include Lora Lynn Christensen and Patrick Stevenson. Aaron is a current student of Dr. Johnny Mendoza and studies voice with Dr. Amanda Guidi.

Turner Rey is a senior at Abilene Christian University, majoring in Music and minoring in Business. He is principal violist of the Civic Orchestra of Abilene and a member of the COA string quartet, and has played violin for the ACU Homecoming Musical. Turner has also performed with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Angelo Symphony. He studied at the Interlochen Arts Camp with Renee Skerick and David Holland, and at the collegiate level with Erin Weber and Dr. Kathleen Crabtree.

In addition to his performing career, Turner is the founder of Embrace Strings, a company dedicated to crafting custom chin rests for string players.

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Karissa Ward is a senior Music Education at Abilene Christian University. She is the Principal Clarinetist for the ACU Wind Ensemble and the Civic Orchestra of Abilene, and has been in the orchestra for the Homecoming Musical at ACU playing clarinet and saxophone. In 2025 she was selected for the CBDNA National Intercollegiate Honor Band, performed with the World Youth Wind Orchestra Project for the MidEurope Festival in Schladming, Austria, and will return with WYWOP in Staufen, Germany this summer. Karissa was a three year Drum Major for the ACU Big Purple Marching Band, and is currently President of the ACU Bands and the Mu Phi Epsilon music fraternity, and recipient of the Bill Reese Leadership Award. She has studied clarinet with Kristin Ward, and also taught clarinet for Abilene and Wylie Independent School Districts and for the Big Country Clarinet Day.

Karissa is also an active dancer, working closely with the ACU Theater Department, serving as the Music Director for the 24-hour musical, and a choreographer and performer for ACU’s “One Night Only” dance recital. She also teaches dance at Abilene Performing Arts Company.